The production of glass fibers by means of a rotary process is well known. In general, molten glass is fed into a spinner which revolves at high speeds. The spinner has a solid lower surface and a peripheral wall containing a multiplicity of orifices. The glass is passed by centrifugal force through the orifices of the peripheral wall in the form of small diameter fibers. Positioned circumferentially about the spinner is an annular blower. The blower typically comprises an annular manifold and a discontinuous slot for directing a plurality of gaseous jets from the manifold toward the fibers in a downward column or circumferential array. Usually the blower is supplied with attenuating air by a compressor. The gases discharged from the blower have a pulling effect on the fibers being centrifuged, and the gases serve to attenuate the fiber to its final small diameter.
In a typical blower construction, the discontinuous slot is comprised of downwardly directed openings communicating with the manifold. These openings typically have a square cross section, being 0.02 inches by 0.02 inches. Also, the lands between the openings are typically of the same dimension, 0.02 inches by 0.02 inches.
As the jets of air or other attenuating medium flow from the discontinuous slot of the blower, the velocity of the jets decreases with increasing distance from the blower. A problem encountered with conventional blowers is that when fibers of smaller diameter are desired, increased blower pressures, and therefore greater energy expenditures, are necessary. Heretofore, efforts to obtain finer fibers, and to increase the efficiency of the blowers at the same time in order to reduce energy consumption, have been unsuccessful.